Something Bad Happened

A Kid's Guide to Coping With Events in the News

When we learn about something bad – even when we hear only bits and pieces of it – our brains get busy trying to make sense of what we've heard. Seeing distressing events on the news, or hearing about them later, can feel scary and overwhelming. Talking about what happened, and how we feel about it, is hugely important.

Something Bad Happened guides children aged 6 to 12 and the adults who care about them through tough conversations about news of large-scale events, addressing questions such as: "Where did it happen?" "Why did it happen?" And, "Will it happen again?" Feelings like sadness, fear and confusion are normalized, and coping tools provided.

For children and parents to read together, or by a child with a parent nearby, this helpful resource by a child psychologist best-selling author provides comfort, support and action plans for children learning about the big bad things happening in our world.

Dawn Huebner is a Clinical Psychologist specializing in the treatment of anxious children and their parents. She is the author of the award-winning What To Do When You Worry Too Much and five other What to Do Guides for Kids, as well as Outsmarting Worry for Jessica Kingsley Publishers.